In a twist of legal maneuvers and geopolitical posturing, Chinese state media outlets have come out in strong support of TikTok and its parent company ByteDance as they filed a lawsuit against the US government. The lawsuit aims to overturn a law that demands the divestiture of TikTok’s US operations or face a ban, a move that has sparked a fierce debate on both sides of the Pacific.
Xinhua News Agency, an outlet of China’s State Council, blasted the US legislation as “suppression of the popular app” based on “unfounded national security concerns due to its Chinese ownership.” The agency argued that the law raises constitutional rights and fair competition concerns, echoing TikTok’s own arguments in its legal challenge.
Meanwhile, China Daily, operated by the Communist Party, seized on a recent development with Tesla to contrast China’s openness to foreign business with what it perceives as rising trade protectionism in the US. The publication highlighted China’s potential approval for Tesla to test robotaxis in the country as a sign of China’s positive stance on further opening up to foreign businesses.
The US government’s scrutiny of TikTok escalated in March with the passage of a bill tied to foreign aid that gave ByteDance until January 19, 2025, to find a buyer for the app or face removal from app stores. Covington & Burling, an American law firm, has been tapped to fight the law, having successfully blocked a TikTok ban in Montana last year.
China has signaled its opposition to a forced sale of TikTok, emphasizing its stance on protecting its companies’ interests abroad.
As the legal and geopolitical drama unfolds, the outcome will not only impact TikTok’s future but also set a precedent for how Chinese tech companies are treated in the US, potentially shaping the broader landscape of international business relations.
(Source: SCMP | USA Today | The Hill)
